Big Brown, Dutrow seek to erase Belmont pain

Big Brown's loss in the Belmont has trainer Rick Dutrow crossing his fingers as he looks ahead to the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner's return in Sunday's $1 million Haskell at Monmouth Park.

"From what happened in his last start, it's hard for me to be as confident as I was in the Kentucky Derby and some of his other races," Dutrow said Tuesday.

"If Big Brown finishes out the year the right way, I'm going to quit trying to figure it out. I'm still kind of concerned about what is going to happen Sunday, because I know the horse went into the Belmont in good condition. I have no idea what happened in that race. But if it happens again, I'm going to know something is wrong with him, and he is not going to run anymore."

The worst-case scenario would be the end of the racing career of a colt who won his first five races by an average of nearly eight lengths before finishing last in the Belmont.

The best-case scenario would be a performance that prompts Mike Iavarone, the co-president of IEAH Stables, to send Big Brown to the $1 million Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 23.

"I believe Big Brown is a horse that should run in the Travers because he's the best 3-year-old and that's the best race to win during the summer," Dutrow said. "I really want to run in the Travers, but ... the Breeders' Cup Classic (Oct. 25 at Santa Anita) is more important than the Travers.

"He looks great. He's on top of his game. Except for his last start, he has done everything you would ever want a horse to do. I can't see him doing anything but run his race."

On Monday, Dutrow was granted a continuance on his appeal of the 15-day suspension he received from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission because one of his horses that ran in a May 2 race at Churchill Downs tested positive for the drug clenbuterol.

Dutrow admits responsibility, calling it a barn mistake. The appeal is enabling him to avoid serving the suspension while he is preparing Big Brown and other members of his stable for major races.